While the purple shades are, indeed, shades of psychic power and such, lavender in particular was a Victorian shade of late mourning (see the thread on Temperance). Those who lost a loved one, especially women and especially widows, went through a year to two years in black, then moved into "Half mourning" where they were allowed to wear grays and lavenders.

I think that apropos for the 5/Cups--half mourning. The traditional 5/Cups shows spilled cups and someone grieving over them while ignoring other cups still standing. Our young lady is in half-mourning, still grieving over whoever she lost (be it husband or relative or friend), but capable, if she wishes, of seeing that there are cups still standing (i.e. that it's been a while and she could start to move on).

I think that her intense gaze at the flowers has a two or threefold meaning. First, she's brought the flowers to lay on the grave (which is overgrown, showing that it's been a while--two years or more, right?). So she looks at the flowers she probably brought to this grave regularly, remembering who she's lost and her sadness over it, and grieves. So staring at the flowers is like staring down at the spilled cups. Remembering the loss.

BUT, she is also gazing at the flowers as if seeing how beautiful they are. That shaft of light coming through the clouds gives her a chance to also realize that flowers are beautiful. And, threefold, it's likely that the flowers might also spark a memory (did she carry them during her wedding? Were they the deceased favorite flower?). There is grief and regret in those flowers, but there is also what is left in the "unspilled" cups.

Hence, the flowers are both the spilled cups and the unspilled cups. For the dead and so representing grief, but beautiful and in bloom, and so for the living.

Also, take a look behind her. I don't know if this is in the first edition, but in the second the crypt behind her very clearly has a statue of a hooded man holding a book and a cup--he seems about to take a drink from the cup. There is also a sword in the background and possibly a staff (wand). These suggest to me that our sad lady has turned her back to possibilities (to the upright cups). Her back is turned to cups that she can still drink from, to swords (intellectual pursuits) and wands (passions). All such things are not only ignored but in the graveyard with her. Effectively "dead" for the time being.

This card reminds us of how very powerful grief, regret, depression can be, making everything seem dead and lost, and how hard it is to remember that life does go on, and flowers still bloom, and not all is lost.

I think that her intense gaze at the flowers has a two or threefold meaning. First, she's brought the flowers to lay on the grave (which is overgrown, showing that it's been a while--two years or more, right?). So she looks at the flowers she probably brought to this grave regularly, remembering who she's lost and her sadness over it, and grieves. So staring at the flowers is like staring down at the spilled cups. Remembering the loss.

BUT, she is also gazing at the flowers as if seeing how beautiful they are. That shaft of light coming through the clouds gives her a chance to also realize that flowers are beautiful. And, threefold, it's likely that the flowers might also spark a memory (did she carry them during her wedding? Were they the deceased favorite flower?). There is grief and regret in those flowers, but there is also what is left in the "unspilled" cups.

Hence, the flowers are both the spilled cups and the unspilled cups. For the dead and so representing grief, but beautiful and in bloom, and so for the living.

Also, take a look behind her. I don't know if this is in the first edition, but in the second the crypt behind her very clearly has a statue of a hooded man holding a book and a cup--he seems about to take a drink from the cup. There is also a sword in the background and possibly a staff (wand). These suggest to me that our sad lady has turned her back to possibilities (to the upright cups). Her back is turned to cups that she can still drink from, to swords (intellectual pursuits) and wands (passions). All such things are not only ignored but in the graveyard with her. Effectively "dead" for the time being.

This card reminds us of how very powerful grief, regret, depression can be, making everything seem dead and lost, and how hard it is to remember that life does go on, and flowers still bloom, and not all is lost.

I love your "flowers/cups" imagery! Completely on point! I really "get" this card now. Thank you!
The first edition has a "headless" figure - he didn't look hooded, although I may have to take a closer look to confirm.

When I saw this beautiful, beautiful card, my first thoughts were that this was a ghost, she perhaps should turn around and walk into the light that waits for her, but instead she is reluctant to leave her previous life & its bittersweet memories.

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